Knights of the Serpent Lord
by Baroness of Slytherin
Summary: The Most Noble Houses of Malfoy and Knight together again after 100 years?  Indeed they are, and not everyone is happy about it. Lucius Malfoy/Orginal character, Eliah Knight.
1. Meeting Of Fate

Knights of the Serpent Lord, Chapter One

She understood him to be an arrogant and cold man. No one ever made an attempt to dispute that assumption.

No one.

So who was she to even try?

"Madame Knight?"

She turned slowly, glared coldly, and fixed the Minister of Magic(k) with a frozen stare.

"Yes?"

"This way, please." he indicated the large black marble doors to the Grand Hall.

"Oh yes, of course, Minister."

He smiled warmly.

"I cannot tell you how excited and pleased we are, to have you here! Hogwart's has not hosted the American University of Dark Arts for some time..."

She cut him off.

"Nearly three hundred years...yes, I know." she snarled, "The last time, was a disaster."

The Minister's face fell at this last remark.

"That is most regrettable, I assure you, Madame Knight."

"Clearly." She muttered and stalked towards the doors. He followed quickly in her wake.

She stopped and surveyed the Hall.

"Where is our host for tonight?"

The Minister, who appeared startled by such a question, stared blankly at her.

"Mr. Malfoy will arrive presently. He had urgent business to attend to." He grinned slowly, "At the Ministry."

She sneered coldly at him.

She reminded him more of Lucius Malfoy every second, but where Malfoy was blonde, pale and with steel grey eyes, Madame Knight was dark, pale and possessed of the greeniest eyes he had ever seen.

But, the sneer was the same.

As were the coldness and the all too apparent disgust, at those who were beneath them.

She was, in his opinion, the female version of Lucius Malfoy. And Malfoy, would be most pleased by this, no doubt.

She stared at him for a moment, waiting for an explanation. But when none was forthcoming, she turned away and went into the Hall.

The Minister watched as she slinked away, the smile growing ever more bold.

Yes, he thought delightedly to himself, Lucius would like this one...

...very much so.

Lucius stared around the Hall, almost like a King surveying his subjects. If truth be told, being Lord of the Malfoy Manor, had it's perks. And watching, without having to waste idle time chatting, was one of those he enjoyed immensely.

The ever present sneer was fixed upon his pale, yet handsome, face. The cold grey eyes took in everything, and nothing escaped his notice.

Americans.

The whole lot of them. The wrong sort, as he called them, though here and there, he saw those of his kind.

Precious few of them, though.

The man at his side laughed deeply. Lucius turned, arched his eyebrow, and sneered more coldly.

"What is so funny, Tobias?"

The man laughed again.

"Oh nothing. Nothing Lucius, just thinking."

Lucius snarled.

"Nothing? If nothing is this amusing to you, perhaps, you'd cared to explain?"

The older man laughed, but did not elaborate further.

Lucius watched as Tobias' gaze swept around the Hall. The older Wizard was irritating, to say the least, but he was one of the few here, that Lucius could tolerate.

Not that it took much to irritate a Malfoy, Lucius especially. Tobias had an unnatural flare for doing just that, and he took great joy in doing so. Lucius had often wished, that Tobias had been anyone else, so he could have him put out of the way.

But, Tobias was not anyone else. He was from one of the Most Noble Houses of Dark Witches, an old family friend, and if what Lucius' Father had said was true, putting Tobias Knight out of the way, would prove to be more of a dangerous move, then a good one.

When the Wizard's gaze stopped and lingered, he touched the man's shoulder.

"And who, might that be?"

Tobias chuckled.

"That, my dear Lucius, is my daughter."

Lucius grinned faintly.

"Ah yes, what an enchanting creature."

The older Wizard smiled slowly.

"You think so, Lucius?" he regarded Malfoy for a moment, "She would find you of particular interest, as well."

The grin spread, but then, in a flash, it had been replaced by the cold sneer.

"Yes, she is clearly enchanting. And," the sneer grew icy, "Of the puriest blood."

Tobias smiled at him, quite indifferent to Malfoy's coldness.

"She is, after all, my daughter, Lucius. The Most Noble House of Knight produces, nothing but the puriest of Dark Witches."

Lucius smiled ruefully. Even with the smile, he still looked threatening and dangerous.

"But of course." he bowed slightly to the older Wizard.

Finally, after such a long time, the Houses of Knight and Malfoy had come together. It had been years, since a Knight had graced Malfoy Manor with their monumental presence.

And Lucius, like his Father before him, would not allow this opportunity to slip through his fingers.

He let Tobias steer him towards the entryway, pushing aside those who got in their way. No one challenged him on this.

They wouldn't dare.

"Ah my dear!" Tobias called over the head of a taller Wizard, "Come, come! I must introduce you to our gracious host!"

The woman standing in the entryway, turned slowly, and gifted her Father with a warm smile. It was then, that she finally noticed Lucius. The once warm smile, froze over quickly.

She stared at him, and he in turn, stared back. Enchantress yes, but a very, very deadly one.

Tobias laughed.

"Lucius, may I present my daughter, Eliah."

She neither moved, nor spoke, she merely nodded at the introduction. She had fixed Lucius with a cold, penetrating glare.

She reminded him of a small snake waiting to strike...

However, Lucius eyed her thoughtful.

"Miss Knight."

She held out her left hand, presenting him with it as if she were a queen, and he, a Malfoy, her lowly subject.

That would have to change...

He brushed his lips litely over the pale flesh, before she tore her hand away from his.

That too, would need to change.

"And now," Tobias gestured to Lucius, "Our very gracious host, Lucius Malfoy."

She spoke for the first time, and her voice, though soft, dripped with icy contempt. The very coldness of it, punctuated every word.

"If I am correct, and I am, gracious would not be a word used to describe a Malfoy."

"Neither would it be used, to describe a Knight." Lucius spat out before he could stop himself. He saw the curious look on Tobias' face, but spoke no further.

Eliah's lips curled up into a sneer.

"There are many ways to describe both Houses, though I dare say, not all of them would be pleasant, nor flattering, Mr. Malfoy."

Both men exchanged amused, yet carefully concealed glances.

"Quite right, my dear." Tobias chuckled, "However, we are not here to discuss which of our families would be worse..."

"Or, superiour." she snapped.

It was at this remark, that Malfoy finally understood her better. She may have been a direct descendent of Alexander Knight, but she was so like a Malfoy, that anyone else would've been hard pressed to see the difference.

Lucius smiled at her. She though, did not return it.

"Miss Knight," the smile now replaced by the trademark sneer, "And just how would they describe you?"

Before she could reply, another voice, equally as cold, but holding far more loathing then anything, spoke from behind them.

Lucius turned and saw Severus Snape standing there. His eyebrow rose, and his lips curled into a faint snarl.

"Severus."

"Lucius."

Tobias for once, was silent. But from the look etched upon his face, he was obviously amused.

"You seem to show up quite unexpectedly, Severus. Why is that?"

Snape said nothing.

Lucius glared harder at him, pushing the snake headed top of his walking stick into the man's chest.

"What exactly were you going to say, Severus? How would you describe Miss Knight?"

"Viper." Snape growled.

Eliah only stared coldly at him. From beside her, Lucius laughed suddenly. So sudden was the laughter, that she turned to look at him.

It was his laugh, cold and deadly, that sparked the first glimmer of interest in him. She forced herself to remain in control. It would simply not do, to let him see her in anything but, control.

Damn you Malfoy, she thought bitterly.

Lucius smiled.

"However, since you are here, may I introduce Miss Eliah Knight."

Snape snickered softly.

"I know who she is."

Tobias snorted into his wine glass.

Lucius did not find this amusing at all.

"Viper? Just what does that imply, Severus?"

Tobias again snickered.

"Oh, I think I may be able to explain that." He turned to Eliah, "You do not mind, my dear?"

She inclined her head slightly towards Malfoy and shrugged.

Tobias turned back to Lucius and Snape. He smiled broadly.

"Being of the Dark Arts yourselves and, " he smirked, "Having been in the service of the Dark Lord, that the Noble House of Knight..."

"Servants of the Serpent Lord." Snapped hissed.

Tobias looked to him and nodded.

"Why yes, we are, and have been for centuries. Unlike you, however, we were never called Deatheaters. Silly and vain, if you ask me. As if you can control Death and his many faces?" He saw the furious look of anger on Malfoy's face, and quickly added, "No offense, my dear Lucius! You are a force unto yourself."

Snape moved moved closer still, until he was standing next to Eliah. She turned to look at him, but he afforded her no more then a slight, though thoroughly cold, glance.

"Correct me if I am wrong, Professor Knight...you are called Knights of the Black Serpent?"

Eliah muttered softly.

"Yes, you are correct, Snape," she snarled.

"Yes indeed, Snape! Well done! Hence, our family name...Knight."

She muttered again.

"Ah Father, why not tell them the whole story? Perhaps," she smiled, "Snape will finally be able to lay aside the lies?"

"Please do," he ran shaky fingers thru greasy black hair, "And then, why not tell our dear Lucius, about your time in Wizard Prison?"

Malfoy looked at Snape, then turned his full gaze upon Tobias.

"You never mentioned...nor did my Father..." Lucius grinned.

"I don't speak of it, Lucius."

"I see...but why would you have been..."

Eliah laughed abruptly.

"You think my Father was imprisoned? Now that, Mr. Malfoy, is amusing."

His attention now focused upon her, the coldness was obvious...

...as was the mutual...

He shook his head to rid himself of those thoughts.

"Naturally..I only..." Lucius shook his head, yet again.

Tobias smiled tiredly.

"Of course...no need to apologise. Easy mistake to make. But Lucius, mistakes like those, can be very, ah, dangerous to make."

Malfoy nodded.

Snape cleared his throat loudly.

"Lucius, SHE was the one imprisoned," he turned to Eliah, "Deorum, was it not?"

She sneered frozenly at him.

"Yes, it was Deorum."

Lucius tilted his head, and the silvery mane of blonde hair fell over his shoulder. She caught this out of the corner of her eye, and fought, once more, for control.

Knights did not, would not, fall for one of the Malfoys. Even if it was Lucius Malfoy, notorius and legend among the Wizarding world.

That was not an option.


	2. Deorum

Knights of the Serpent Lord, Chapter Two

"Deorum? I have never heard of it..." Lucius looked questioningly at Tobias.

Tobias looked around quickly, then moved in closer to him. His usual expression of joviality, now dark and cold.

"Deorum, Lucius, makes your stay in Azkaban, look like nothing but a daytrip to Hogsmeade."

Malfoy stared at him. How could anyone describe Azkaban as nothing more then a trip to Hogsmeade? More like a daytrip to Hades, itself.

Tobias laughed softly.

"My dear Lucius! You look as if you'd seen a ghost!"

He glared back at him in disgust.

"Never speak to me of Azkaban as if it were a mere picnic! I endured more suffering there, then even you, Tobias, could ever imagine! Death as it were, would have been more welcome."

Tobias fell quiet for a moment and then glared at him.

"You Lucius Malfoy, though notorius and legend, would never have survived Deorum. It is, and rest assured, I know...it is by far, much, much worse then Azkaban was, or ever could be."

Lucius sneered at this, but did not speak.

"Though you may have had the Dementors, they would have been nothing, to what Deorum could do. You would have welcomed the Kiss, if only to stop from feeling anything!"

Tobias sputtered to a stop, and breathing shallowly. he looked at Eliah and sighed.

Lucius took this moment to question this information.

"What does go on in there? If it is so much worse then Azkaban, as if that is even possible..."

Eliah, who had been quiet while her Father told the tale, muttered faintly...

"Deorum, Mr. Malfoy..." she stopped briefly, almost as if she were searching for the correct way to speak, but resumed quickly. "Azkaban, the Dementors, they took only the happiness, the good that you could feel...Deorum took not only that, but it took your will to live...they tortured you mentally, emotionally and physically. It went on day after day...and no one, nothing, would make it stop, short of death. And, " she paused to catch her breathe, "You would have prayed for it to come...if only to end it all."

Lucius stared at her.

"And you, were in Deorum?"

"Yes."

He looked her up and down, then sneered ever so slightly.

"Yet, you survived. It could not have been all that bad then."

The look on her face went from anger, to pure icy rage. She advanced towards him, her lips contorted in a snarl, and her fists clenched.

"How dare you! You have no idea what it was like in Deorum! You may say you endured suffering, you may claim to have gone thru Hades and back! But you, you bloody fool, would never have survived! They would have broken you, before you ever knew what was happening!"

Lucius found himself backing away from her. Snape, for once, had been right...she was a Viper...and a very, very lethal one at that.


	3. To Not Back Down

**A/N: As with all HP characters: I DO NOT own them! They belong solely to J.K. Rowling. Sadly, I also do not own Jason Isaacs. He belongs solely to himself.**

**I do, however, own all the original characters: Eliah, Tobias, Naxxus and all the places you've never heard of. They belong solely to my overly active imagination.**

_**To Not Back Down**_

As he moved away, he realised that Eliah was not going to back down. And Lucius, having never backed away from anyone, grew angry.

Very angry.

The sneer appeared, the eyes grew cold, and the icy steel composure, though it had wavered but a moment, returned.

"Perhaps, Miss Knight, your time in Deorum did not teach you anything? I do not know why, nor do I care, it is that you were imprisoned in such a place, but it is obvious, that you did not stay long enough," his gaze lingered on her for a moment, "However, I assure you, that you, like Azkaban, will not break me."

Eliah's face darkened considerably. In an instant though, it had softened to it's vividly pale appearance.

She gazed into his grey eyes, searching for a reason to hurt him, but there was nothing.

Except...

She shook her head.

That was not there. It could not be, that a Malfoy, was falling into a pit, that they could not climb out of...one, that they would never have admitted to falling into at all.

It simply, did not exist.

But, she reasoned, she had seen that exact thing in those cold, dangerous eyes. The way he gazed at her...although it was a chilly gaze, it held more then he would ever have cared to mention.

Or, she thought, to feel.

Her thoughts drifted to a long passed memory. A memory, that she knew he had forgotten, but she had retained.

This was not her first visit to the Manor. No, she had been here before.

Several times.

The first...when she had been a mere child. Even then, she knew Lucius Malfoy, but only as the young man he was. She had looked upon him, not only as her Father's old friend, but as a King...

...then the second visit.

She was coming of age...seventeen in the Wizard world...and now, when she had looked upon him, he was a god amongst men. She had looked upon Lucius Malfoy with need...want and desire.

And he, had not noticed her at all. It had felt as if she had not existed. At least, not in the way she had wanted to, but only as the teenage daughter of Tobias Knight.

The memories faded into the present, and when she looked up, it was to see all three men watching her.

She smiled coldly.

"Memories, Mr. Malfoy, of things best left alone. I wish not to think of Deorum again, as I am sure, you wish to leave Azkaban in the past."

"Yes, I agree." he bowed slightly to her.

She smiled again...the memories had crept upon her unbidden, and she blushed a deep shade of pink. What would he think of her now?

She shook her head, yet again, and looked at Lucius.

"There are, however, such memories as only two individuals can share. I share those of my Father...of visiting the Manor before." she gazed at him thoughtfully.

He watched her and she, him. The understanding of shared memories was, as she assumed, not lost on him. To assume anything about the Malfoys, and indeed, the Knights, was to assume that you would live forever.

And that, by far, was the most dangerous thing to do.

Lucius turned his head, glared at Snape, and turned back to Eliah. Before he could speak, she placed her fingers to his lips, and smiled. He made no move to remover them, and she felt the faint brush of his lips against her fingers.

"I did not exist to you, Mr. Malfoy, save only as Tobias' daughter. But you," she stopped, suddenly unsure of what she was saying. Her cheeks took on a pinkish tint, and she hurried on.

"You, however, existed for me."

He smiled slowly.

"I see. And, how did I exist to you?"

She blushed a bit more.

"It is best left unsaid. The memories and dreams, of a young woman from the past, have no place in the present."

Lucius titled his head, again sending the blonde hair falling over his shoulder. And again, the memories, the dreams, the desires...they flooded over her. And in the part of her that long for it, a tiny voice screamed...

...if he but touched her, she knew she would break under his touch...

As her fingers played along his lips, he smiled the smile of an evil and dangerous man.

She shivered.

"And now? How do you see me in the present?"

When she did not answer, he reached up, and took her by the wrist. He applied only a bit of pressure, but she still gasped, as if he had squeezed as hard as she knew he could.

But, he had touched her...

Only a small touch...

It was all that was needed.

He sneered coolly at her. He arched his brow, and pulling her closer as Tobias and Snape watched, he purred softly into her ear.

It was a deadly sound...

"I could snap the brittle bones beneath your skin," his breathe was hot upon her face, and he squeezed her wrist a little more, "They are so delicate, so fine, and the blood that feeds them...the puriest blood..."

She trembled against him...not out of fear, but out of something much more deadly...

...desire.

He brushed his lips litely against her cheek, and her control began to break...

"I could kill you, do you realise that? Yes, I think you do. I am a Deatheater, which means, I have killed for far less...knowing what you do, do you still look upon me with the same desire? The same want and need of the young woman?"

She felt his lips again, brush her flesh, and the rest of her control spiralled away from her.

She did not answer him.

"I think you do." he whispered into her hair. "The young Witch from the past..."

"No longer exists..."

He ignored the words, as if she had never uttered them.

In fact, he had ignored everyone around them, and continued to do so...

"I could kill you.."

He smiled that dangerous and evil smile again. She gasped once more, at the firm, yet unmistakibly gentle, pressure he had applied to her wrist..

"But why kill, that which is mine? That has always been mine... that belongs to me, and will always, belong to me."

He pulled her into a tight embrace, and it was at that moment, she her Father say to Snape...

"What do you think Lucius' intentions are, Snape?"

Snape laughed coldly.

"The Dark Vow, of course."

Tobias laughed.

"Of course."

She looked to the man who held her, and he smiled...cold and deadly.

And she knew then, who the real Dark Lord was.

Not Voldemort.

It was Lucius Malfoy.


	4. The Claiming of Eliah

**A/N: As always…I do not own anyone or anything from the HP series! I do own everything else.**

**_**

He turned her around to face her Father and Snape. His hands dug into her arms as he did this, and the grip was tight, yet ever so sweet.

His voice, cold as always, dripped with venom.

"Tobias, I am claiming what was pledged to me all those years ago, do you agree to it, still?"

Tobias looked from Lucius to Eliah, grinned faintly, then nodded.

"Yes, of course, Lucius."

Malfoy smiled slowly, and tightened his grip upon her. She shivered with anticipation at what would come next.

"Father, what does he mean, what was pledged? You pledged to a Malfoy?"

Tobias again, nodded and smiled.

"Yes my dear child."

"And the pledge? What was it?" she threw caution to the wind, and dared to ask this.

"You, my daughter."

She stared at him for a moment.

Pledged to the Malfoys?

Again, she dared to ask a question she knew the answer to, but wanted to hear it's voice, if only to confirm the truth.

"And to which of the Malfoys have I been pledged to? Surely not Draco? He is much too young..."

Snape snickered, but did not say anything.

She glared at him, and then turned to her Father.

"Lucius." was all Tobias said.

She said nothing to this and Tobias took this to mean she needed to understand more.

"Eliah," he spoke softly, yet with the air of authority of a Knight, "You were pledged to him, the moment you were born. Tradition, if you will."

"The Dark Vow?"

Snape again snickered, but Tobias held up a hand to quiet him.

"Only one part of it."

She grinned.

"There's more to it, I suppose?"

Lucius moved against her, and she shuddered at his touch. His grip had lessened a bit, but he still held her firmly in his power.

"Why yes, there is more to it, then just a mere pledge! My dear, you have been pledged to one of the most noble houses in the Wizard world! And, pledged to one of the most noble men from that family!"

She quivered at this, but a part of her still found the will to rebel against it...

...but not for long...she knew Lucius would break her the rest of the way, and there would be no going back.

"And the most notorius." she spat at him.

She felt his fingers grip her arms, yet he said nothing to this.

"In Britain, yes...but not, in America." Snape offered.

"True, he is legend here. But, there is one in America who is more legend then even Lucius Malfoy." Tobias laughed at this.

Eliah smiled slowly. She knew whom he spoke of...oh yes, she knew perfectly well, who that was.

Naxxus Deoria.

The Noble House of Deoria.

Deorum.

Builders of a playground for the Devil himself.

She smiled more at this.

More legend then Lucius Malfoy...

..Lucifer...

The Dark Lord.

Eliah pushed yet another memory away, that of Deoria, and Deorum, itself. Now was not the time for such things.

"What else, does the pledge entail, Father?"

Tobias looked over her at Lucius and chuckled softly.

"Well, the first part...pledged to the House of Malfoy. Second part...pledged to a male of the family, though at first, we were not sure who that would be, but old Abraxus finally settled on Lucius."

Settled on? From the sound of this, Lucius, had not been his father's, nor her father's, first choice.

She wondered vaguely why that was...

"And?" she asked slowly.

"And, the third part...the agreement of marriage when you came of age..."

Snape smirked slightly at that.

"But, he went and married Narcissa, much to his Father's dismay and rage."

She felt Lucius' fingers tighten their grip on her. Almost, as if he were afraid she would apparate away from him...

...but that, she knew, was not an option for her.

"Yes, that is what happened..." he turned and glared dolefully at Snape. "However, the pledge was still there. His father knew it. I knew it. And Lucius, he knew it was there, as well."

"And his wife?"

"She did not know of it. Had she known, we can safely say, she would have had you killed a long time ago."

The iron grip tightened again.

"And now?"

Neither Tobias, nor Snape, answered the question. They looked uncomfortable, in fact...almost afraid.

She felt his lips brush against her neck, then against her ear...his breathe still warm upon her flesh.

"She," he hissed in her ear, "She is no longer to be worried about, or feared."

Eliah had allowed herself to lean into his body, but when he spoke those words...as if she feared Narcissa Black? Hardly. She straightened to ramrod straight, and turned her head to look at him.

"And you think, that I, a Knight, would fear anything from a member of the House of Black? Do not make me laugh!"

As the words tumbled from her lips, she knew she had made a dangerous mistake.

Lucius spun her around to fully face him, and when he had, she cringed away from him.

"You will never speak to me in such a manner!" he snarled, and drug her closer, so that they were inches apart, "You will learn your place in my house...you will learn quickly, Eliah Vivianna Knight, who your lord and master is."

Her eyes wide, she blinked at him. She looked to her Father, but he said nothing.

She knew better to look to Severus Snape for help or even a mere kind word. He was not such a one to offer anything, save for snickers and cruel comments.

She turned back to look at Lucius. He brought his hand up to her face, and thinking he would strike her, she cringed away again. Instead, he allowed his fingers to stoke her cheek...it was a gentle touch, but she knew, as well as anyone there, what was also behind that touch.

He turned her again, to face her Father and Snape. They did not look at her.

"Tell her the rest, Tobias." Malfoy commanded.

Her Father shifted a bit, and finally looked at her. She stared back at him, dimmly aware, that he could not, would not, look her in the eyes.

"The remainder of the pledge is thus, still unconsumated...because of, erm, unfortunate incidents beyond our control."

Snape laughed.

"Marriage to Narcissa Black, being one of them."

"Shut up Severus." Lucius growled from behind her. She found herself, once again, allowing her body to meld with his, and could feel the power this man possessed.

The power that ran through her own being, always aloof, always deadly...it was not only her body, that melded with his...

She quivered anxiously.

"Yes, too true, Snape...however, as Narcissa is no longer in the, uh, picture so to speak, we may proceed with the remainder of the pledge."

She looked at her father.

"Oh? And that is, what?"

"The remaining part of the pledge, is simply the Dark Vow, itself."

She grinned, but did not answer.

"There is also, the question of whether Lucius will take the full Vow.."

Lucius moved slightly against her. She could tell he already knew what he would do...a man such as he was, did not make split second decisions. No, men such as Lucius Malfoy, planned well ahead. Those plans were always detailed, reworked, and spun into existance slowly and deliberately.

And, they were exactly like the Malfoys themselves...

...deadly.

Tobias looked at Eliah for a moment, then to Lucius.

"Will you, Lucius Ares Malfoy, initiate the full Dark Vow?" he asked.

"I will."

Tobias turned his gaze to his daughter. It softened a bit as he looked at her.

"And will you, Eliah Vivianna Knight, accept the Vow that Lucius offers?"

She studied her father, then Snape. They both watched her carefully. Then, she turned to Lucius, himself, and studied his face.

The expression that was etched upon his pale face, was unreadable.

Again, she looked at her father, and he smiled lovingly at her.

Before she would answer, she would know what the full Vow was...

"What is the remainder of the pledge? The Vow? Or, is there more?"

Snape grinned.

"Oh, there is much more, Madame Knight."

She nodded.

"Yes, but what would that be?"

It was Tobias who finally answered her questions. He looked very pleased indeed.

"There is the marriage, of course. In order for Lucius to initate the full Vow, he must be pledged to marry you. After which, the last part will be performed...and that, can only be accomplished by another Dark Wizard."

Eliah nodded slightly.

"You will do that, of course..."

Tobias shook his head quickly.

"No, I cannot do so. Neither can anyone from the Malfoy family. No, it must be done by someone from outside the families."/P

She nodded again.

"I see. Is there someone who has been chosen for this?"

Tobias smiled at her.

"Oh yes, and I think, you will be pleased at the choice."

"Clearly." Lucius growled. He did not seem pleased at all by it.

She turned slightly, and looked at him out of the corner of her eye, and caught herself wanting more then to look at him.

She shook her head to clear away these forbidden thoughts.

~"Only for now.," The voice inside her head admonished, "He will soon be your husband...your lord and your master. He will no longer be the forbidden fruit, though bitter as that fruit is, your thoughts may go where they will then."~

She shook her head, but the desire and the want remained behind, taunting and teasing her.

Just as she knew he did.

"Who will perform the reaminder of the Vow, Father?"

Tobias smiled widely, but it was a dark sort of smile. There was something in it, that frightened her...

...but what could that be?

"The chosen one to perform the Dark Vow, will be Naxxus Deoria. They have already arrived, and the Vow will be performed a week from now."

"And the wedding?" she snapped out at him.

"Tomorrow."

Her mouth came open, but words seemed to have failed her at that moment.

"Tomorrow?" she stammered.

He nodded quickly.

"Yes, and then, before the Vow can be initiated, he must not be near you. You will be apart for one week, so as to clear up any last lingering doubts. You also, must be pure..."

"I am pure!" she hissed

Her father laughed.

"Oh, I know you are my dear! No, no, I meant only that HE is not to have defiled you in any way."

Snape snickered behind his hand.

"Oh! Lucius not being able to debauch his most prized possession! What will that do to his glorified reputation now?"

Lucius glared at him...the cold, steel grey eyes bore into him like daggers...

She saw the thought go through his mind...

~"You will regret that Severus, oh yes, you will."~

He moved against her, the once iron tight grip lessened, but only a bit. He still intended to make certain, that she could not disappear from his sight.

Nor, his embrace.

Her father laughed jovially, and clapped his hands together.

"Well, I think it is time, that we toast these two, and then get to our rest. A very long day is ahead of us tomorrow."

"But," she ventured.

"No buts, my daughter...you are on the eve of your marriage!" he smiled warmly at her, "Are you excited?"

She glared coldly at him.

"Happy? Oh yes, who would not be happy about being thrown to a rabid wolf?"

Again, the part of her that wanted only to rebel, spoke out for her. The part of her, that wanted this more then anything...wanted Lucius Malfoy more then anything...had always wanted him...did nothing, but lay down before him, submissive and meek as a sheep.

She knew she had gone too far, because he growled coldly into her ear...and his fingers dug painfully into her flesh.

"You will learn your place, my dear, and you will learn who is your lord and your master..."

The part of her that was the meek sheep, moved back into his cold, lethal embrace...like going to the slaughter...

But, the part of her who wanted, more then anything, to rip the flesh from his face, growled back...

"And who, might that man be, Lucius Malfoy?"

He laughed softly and deeply, sending cold chills up her spine, and the hair on the back of her neck stood up...

"I, " he growled and kissed the nape of her neck, "would be that man, Eliah."

She quivered slightly.

He turned her around to face him, his silver blonde hair cascading over his shoulders, and brushing against her hand.

Again, she quivered.

"And you, " he pulled her closer, so that his lips brushed against hers...

"Yes?"

"You...are...mine."

He crushed his mouth to hers, and kissed her feverishly and deeply. Her whole body went limp, and amid the kisses, she found herself uttering an answer, the rebellious part, did not want to hear...

"Yes, Lucius..."

He smiled that evil and deadly smile.

So close now...

"Yes, what?" he demanded from her

She trembled with the desire and the need...

Closer still...

...soon, very soon...

"Yes, my Lord..."

The Dark Vow had been initiated.


	5. A Father's Opinion

**A/N: You know the drill. However, I am still attempting to talk Jason into letting me borrow him for a while. **

Naxxus Deoria stood upon the grave of the man she came here to see. She had a purpose, and it needed to be fulfilled before the week was over.

Before tomorrow, at least.

She studied the large black marble stone in front of her, and sighed. She hated waking them from their eternal sleep, but this one, she needed the chance to confirm everything.

And he, she knew, would be the only one with the answers.

Naxxus looked up into the night sky, noted the stars, and saluted the moon, then returned her gaze to the stone before her. Best to get on with it, before morning came. And besides, she reasoned, this only worked under a full moon, and when the night was at it's peak...midnight.

She grouched down, and traced her fingers along the name on the stone. This one had been dead a long time...

Abraxus Malfoy.

She let her fingers linger on the last name, then straightened up again.

It was time, to meet the man, who had spawned the new Dark Lord.

Naxxus' arms went wide, her palms up to the night sky, and arching her back, she cried unto the still air.

"Abraxus Malfoy! Come forth from your eternal sleep! I demand your presence here tonight, for I have questions, only you can answer!"

She finished the summoning, and waited.

For a moment she thought nothing would happen, but then she felt the ground under her feet tremble. She closed her eyes, and willed the spirit of Abraxus to rise and come forth. And then...

..she opened her eyes, to see him standing before her, and she gasped aloud.

The man before her was of a slight build, with long silver hair and cold, piercing grey eyes...he did not look a day over sixty, though she knew him to have died, at a much younger age. He sneered angrily at her.

Who is foolish enough to call me from my rest?" his voice was frozen and harsh.

She grinned ever so slightly at him.

"I, am Naxxus Deoria."

He laughed at this.

"Ah, so you are one of that House?"

She nodded.

"Yes, I am."

He laughed again.

"Yes, imprisoners for the devil, but purebloods nonetheless."

Naxxus shifted her weight a bit and grinned at him.

"As you wish." she nodded her head to him.

He came closer, and standing with his arms folded against his chest, he questioned her.

"You are here for a reason? The Deoria's do not go bandering about in graveyards for no reason. Unless, of course, they have changed since I last had the pleasure of seeing them?"

Naxxus' eyes narrowed slightly.

"Yes Abraxus, I am here for a reason. As for the Deoria's bandering about anywhere for no reason, that is not of your concern. What I am here for, is the only concern you have."

He snickered at her coolly.

"And your reason for dragging me from my coffin? I do hope this will be of particular interest to me?"

She nodded impatiently at him.

"But of course it will be of interest to you! Being it's because of the pledge you made with Tobias Knight!"

He stared at her for a moment.

"Yes..."

She took this to be his answer, but waited a moment, before she spoke.

"Abraxus, a week from tomorrow, I am to perform the last part of the pledge. The Dark Vow, will finally be consumated."

Abraxus studied her silently. He looked as if he could not have hoped for anything but that...as if, he had been waiting for this news, but had had the unfortunate problem of dying.

"Do you mean to tell me, that my son, will finally claim what is rightfully his? He will finally pledge himself to Tobias' daughter, after all these years?"

Naxxus nodded, but did not speak.

Abraxus smiled thoughtfully.

"Ah yes, finally...after making an utter fool of himself with that Black woman!"

"You have a grandson from that union..." Naxxus offered.

Abraxus laughed shrilly.

"The ONLY good thing from that foul union, if you ask me!"

"And that, of course, angered you?"

He snarled at her from the depths of the darkness.

"As it did Tobias Knight! Oh that fool son of mine...he knew, oh yes, he did know! He knew, that when the girl came of age, he would be married to her and the Dark Vow initated! But no, he went off and dallied with that creature! That vain and foully loathsome creature! My grandson, Draco...he is the only good that came of it."

Abraxus stopped and stared at her.

"And you, Naxxus? What do you think of my son?"

She looked back at him in cold disdain.

"I do not think of your son, at all."

Abraxus laughed.

"You do not like Lucius, do you?"

Like him? She could not even bring herself to tolerate him, let alone, like him.

"He is a foul, evil man, Abraxus."

He smiled.

"Hmm yes, that is my son to the letter! But, you don not like him even a small bit?"

"I would rather be thrown into a pits of Hades itself, before I ever liked Lucius Malfoy." she growled coldly.

Abraxus laughed a bit more, then moved in closer and smiled.

"My dear Naxxus! If you ever got involved with my son, that is exactly where you would be!"

Naxxus glared at him briefly, before arriving at what she had come here for.

"The Vow will be performed a week from tomorrow...the marriage is tomorrow evening...in one week's time, Abraxus, you will witness the completion of the Dark Vow."

He looked at her coldly.

"I will witness it? How is that?"

She smiled.

"It will be here, right where we stand...to be performed upon the grave of the Dark Lord's father..."

Abraxus cut her off quickly.

"The Dark Lord? Do you mean Voldemort's father's grave?"

She shook her head.

"No, I do not mean him, or his father..."

"Then who is the Dark Lord, if not Voldemort? Surely, you cannot mean my son?"

Naxxus nodded.

"Yes, that is your son."

"But how? I..." he fell silent, trying to reason out this new reign.

She grinned ruefully.

"Voldemort has been gone for some time now, and your son, Lucius, had been his right hand man..right there in the inner circle of Deatheaters. He was sent to Azkaban for a disaster at the Ministry. By the time he was released, Voldemort was gone."

Abraxus mulled this over for a second, then smiled.

"Narcissa?"

"Gone."

"Dumbledore?"

"Gone, as well."

He grew silent again.

"And my son?"

Naxxus's face blanched to a slight flush, but went pale once more, before Abraxus could see it.

"Is now, the Dark Lord."

She waited.

Abraxus chuckled.

"The Deatheaters?"

"They follow Lucius now."

He nodded.

"Good, perhaps finally achieving some real power, will allow my son to change."

It was her turn to laugh.

"Change? Oh my dear Abraxus! He is still much the same, though he has become much more cold, cunning and," she snarled at him, "Deadly and vile."

Then, without warning, a little voice inside her said...

~"But that, Naxxus, is what you so desire of him, is it not? Do you dare to deny, that you, a Deoria, would stoop to being bedded by Lucius Malfoy? You cannot hide the truth from Eliah and you wwill not be able to hide it from Lucius."~

She cringed at the voice, but quickly pushed it away.

She forbid herself to even imagine him, as anything but the Dark Lord, the betrothed of her friend, and the foul, evil and cold bastard that he was.

She laughed.

"I am finished here, Abraxus. In one week's time, I will return...to bind Lucius and Eliah for eternity. I do hope, that you will look upon that union with more favour, then you did his first one?"

Abraxus nodded.

"Oh yes, of course. He could not use the Vow with that creature, so we were still safe there...yes, I will give this one, my full blessing. And, you can tell my son I said as much."

Naxxus sneered at him.

"You, can tell him yourself. I will have nothing to do with him, save to perform the Vow. And after it is done, I will leave, as I am leaving now...go to your rest, Abraxus, and think of what you will say to Lucius when you see him."

Naxxus turned and fled the graveyard without another word.

Abraxus stared after her. He smiled slowly.

"Oh there will be words spoken to my son, my dear Madame Deoria, but I will leave that, for you to discover."

He laughed coldly, and faded into the misty darkness.


	6. Frustration and Irritation

**A/N: Yep, same drill. Nope, Jason still hasn't replied.**

Naxxus looked acrossed the room, to see her friend laying prone on the sofa, with her hands over her eyes. She watched her silently, and wondered what she was thinking.

As if she could not tell, but she tried never to invade Eliah's thoughts as much as she could. She had done enough of that before, and certainly felt, that this time, she would not be welcomed within Eliah's mind.

No, it was best to stay out, and allow whatever her friend was thinking, and most likely feeling, to be private. She knew that eventually, Eliah would tell her what was there, and she need but wait for that moment.

Naxxus, could be quite patient when the need arose.

She went back to her parchment, and let the quill drag slowly over it. She wrote for some time, before she heard a familiar sigh from behind her.

"Yes, Eliah?"

The sigh came again, followed by the sound of pacing. She looked up from her writing, and watched Eliah moving back and forth in front of the fireplace. She had never seen her look more fretful, or even, worried. The only emotions she could pinpoint to Eliah, was anger and rage.

And, she had seen both of those that very evening. At her wedding, no less.

Naxxus watched her for a long moment, then rose from the desk, and went to stand in front of her. Eliah stopped pacing, long enough to smirk at her, and moved around her, and continued to pace. It must have been quite bad, to keep her in this perculiar state.

She heard the long drawn out sigh again. It was time, she thought tiredly, to find out just what the trouble was. Her patience, had run out.

"Eliah, what is bothering you?"

Eliah came to a sudden halt and whirled around to face Naxxus. Upon the pale, slightly flushed face, was rage...cold, deep rage.

Naxxus grinned.

"How dare he! How dare he! What did he think could be gained by such horrid remarks?" Eliah snarled angrily, "And, about my husband?"

Naxxus grinned a bit more, but remained silent. One had to allow Eliah Knight, no, Malfoy now, to go on, and then run out of steam, before saying anything. That just was the way things were done, and who was she to change them?

Naxxus waited, continuing to grin at her friend, and knowing full well, the the venting she was doing, had only just begun.

"Called Lucius and 'old man!' Who is he to say that, when he cannot be less then eighty?" she fumed and paced at the same time.

Naxxus stifled a laugh, but still, she held her peace.

"Just because Lucius is thirty years older.." she stressed that word for good measure, and continued on, "That fool does not know what I want! I may be beautiful, I may be young, but I am not blind!"

Again, Naxxus stifled a laugh. Laughing, would only serve to anger Eliah more.

"As if Icarius Ridgely could be even half the man, that Lucius is!" she growled deeply, "He is a mad man, that is all there is to it!"

Naxxus watched her. Who was the mad man? She shifted her weight to the other foot, and grinned faintly. She could have sworn, that Lucius Malfoy, was the mad man...

"Icarius Ridgely is a pompous, vain and jealous ass, Eliah. You know this, as well as I do. He was only trying to anger you," Naxxus smiled coolly at her, "Lucius did not seem too worried about him, so why are you?"

Eliah's face went crimson at the remark, but she did not say anything. She continued to pace, fuming inwardly the whole time.

Naxxus sighed deeply. It seemed, that nothing would make Eliah feel any differently about the situation, so she did not push the subject of what Lucius thought. In time, Eliah would do that, herself.

"Lucius is..." Eliah stopped her relentless pacing, and came to a stop before Naxxus, "Well, he is a gentleman, and did not wish to embarass my Father."

Naxxus could not keep from laughing at that.

"When has a Malfoy male, ever been a gentleman? Did I miss that? I truly must have, since I have never seen it before...and certainly, not in Lucius Malfoy. Ah well, I suppose miracles can happen."

Eliah bristled with rage.

"Lucius is a true gentleman, Nax! I have seen it in him!"

Naxxus admired Eliah's defense of her husband. But how could one honestly defend a Malfoy?

She shook her head slightly.

Eliah crossed the room, and flung herself down on the sofa. She lay there, not saying anything, but then groaned loudly.

Naxxus raised an eyebrow to this. There was more to this behaviour, then just Icarius Ridgely being a stupid fool.

"What else is bothering you, my dear?"

Eliah sat up slowly, a new emotion flooded her face, having wiped the rage cleaning away.

She groaned again.

"Nax, I am worried."

"About what?" Naxxus asked.

The groan came again, but much more sad then anything.

"Pleasing him." she whispered softly, looking around her, as if someone could hear her, other then Naxxus.

Naxxus smiled at her.

"You will please him greatly. You already do, from how he looked at you tonight. Perhaps, you worry over nothing serious?"

Eliah's eyes watered, and the tears slipped slowly down her cheeks.

This, Naxxus thought in despair, was not a good thing.


	7. Relaxing the Rules for Malfoy

**A/N: Same as before and no, he hasn't. **

**_**

Eliah sat there, swaying slightly. Her mouth was set in a frown, her brow was creased, and she continued to weep.

It was at this moment, that Naxxus heard the familiar "swooshing" sound near the fireplace, and turned to see Tobias stepping out of the flames, and onto the rug. He brushed the ashes from his cloak, looked around, and then smiled.

"Well, how are the ladies this evening? Everything well with you two?"

Naxxus nodded and grinned.

"I am well, but I cannot say as much, for Eliah." she said and pointed at the girl laying on the sofa.

Tobias looked over at his daughter briefly. He raised one hand to his hair, touched it litely, and then let his hand fall to his side. He turned back to Naxxus.

"Oh dear, what is wrong with her? She should be happy tonight, since it is her wedding night."

Eliah groaned.

"She would be happy, if she wasn't in a rage and then within moments, riddled with fear and longing."

Tobias glanced in Eliah's direction.

"Why? What happened?"

Eliah groaned, but said nothing.

Naxxus grinned.

"Really Tobias, you should have paid more attention to what went on at the wedding! Did you not see Icarius Ridgely having a go at your daughter? Or, did Lucius not mention that to you?"

Tobias grunted softly and pulled up a chair from near the wall. When he was seated, he looked to Naxxus.

"He did mention something about Ridgely, but he seemed to feel it was of no importance, and did not elaborate on the subject matter."

"I see." Naxxus looked over him at Eliah. She did not know whether the girl was paying attention to what was said, but she felt it needed to be spoken.

"What was he saying to Eliah?"

Naxxus shifted in her chair, and looked at him fully.

"He was telling Eliah, that because Lucius is thirty years older then she is, that makes him an old man. He was apparently wanting to know, what a young girl, would want with a man of Lucius' age."

The groan erupted fresh from the sofa.

"He said I was merely after Lucius' money! That I could not possibly want to be bedded by an old man, unless he had the gold in Gringott's to back it up!"

Tobias stared at his daughter for a moment.

"Oh, I see now. I did wonder a bit, when Lucius mentioned your age, and how Ridgely was a pompous git. Well, no need to worry, my dear! We know the real reason, and that is good enough for all involved."

Eliah smirked.

"Is it really? Does Lucius love me, or is he just wanting to bed me? Those are the questions Icarius threw at me! I could not even answer them! I have been Lucius' wife for only four hours, and I cannot even say if my own husband loves me..." she trailed off at this. Her face was shadowed and tired looking.

Naxxus was startled by this outburst. Eliah was not one to give into such childish worries. If a man loved her, that was fine...and if he did not, that was always fine, too...

But now? She was definitely worried whether Lucius Malfoy loved her. And, she had a very clear feeling, that if he did not, Eliah would be crushed.

"Eliah, my child, I told you never worry what Ridgely has to say! He is a fine one to talk about who was what age when they married! His wife was twenty-five years his senior, when he married her! And, he was after her gold! As I say, do not worry..." he stroked his chin slowly, "As for Lucius' love for you, I can safely say, it is real and it is, there."

Eliah gasped softly.

"Oh...I would never question his love...no, just what is being said..." she hung her head slightly.

"Naxxus knew it was time to move onto other matters, so she turned to Tobias. She smiled warmly.

"Now Tobias, what brings you here, at this late hour?"

Tobias laughed deeply.

"Oh yes, that...well, there is a Quidditch match tomorrow evening, and Lucius' son, Draco is playing in it. He plays Seeker for Slytherin, you know?"

Both Naxxus and Eliah nodded.

"Yes, we know, but what does that have to do with us?" Naxxus inquired.

Tobias smiled a bit more.

"Lucius is, of course, attending it. Usually does, when Slytherin is playing..."

"And?" Naxxus eyes him curiously.

"And, he obviously wishes to show off his new wife..."

Again, Eliah gasped.

"Hush you." Naxxus spat.

She fell silent.

"But, I thought, and correct me if I am wrong, that Lucius was not to be near Eliah, until after the Vow was performed?"

Tobias chuckled.

"That is very true, however, the others and myself, have decided, that just for this one time, the law can be relaxed. So," he turned to Eliah, who was sitting on the edge of the sofa staring wide eyed at her father, "we have decided, that she may attend the match with Lucius. I will be there, so I can watch to make sure things remain, erm, pure and chaste between them."

Naxxus laughed coldly.

"You think he would deflower his new bride right there, before the eyes of the governors, the teachers and the children? Surely you are making it more then what it could be? Even Lucius Malfoy, would not stoop that low!"

But then, she thought to herself, he might do just that, if it suited him in some way. He was, after all, a Malfoy...they could not be trusted with anything, or anyone.

And that, is what bothered Naxxus the most.


	8. Insufferable and Divine

**A/N: Need I explain it again? Ok, I don't own anything from HP nor do I own Jason Isaacs(Gods know how I wish I did!). I do own anything you have never heard of before. And if you have heard of them, it's pretty clear you've been visiting my mind again. Dust while you're there. Thank you!**

**_**

He sat idlely staring into the flames, his long blonde hair shadowing his face from view.

"I think you should do something about that house elf, Father. Won't do anything I ask it to do..."

He listened to his son's grousing, but did not offer any reply to it. His mind was preoccupied by other, more important matters, and a rotten house elf, was certainly not counted among those matters.

"Really Father, there is no reason they will not do what is asked of them...the ones at school, now they do what they are told!"

Lucius grunted softly, shifted in his chair, and returned to his thoughts. Why could the boy not be quiet for once?

"And," Draco Malfoy continued on, as if his Father was remotely paying attention, "You would think, I, a Malfoy, could have them shaking with fear, when I command them to do something!"

Lucius shook his head slightly...insufferable child...

Draco went on, pointing out the state of the help, those at school, and whatever else came into his mind. Lucius continued to stare at the flickering fire, his grey eyes narrowed in annoyance.

Thankfully, he thought with cold detachment, the new term at Hogwart's would be starting in less then a fortnight, and Draco would be grousing there, instead of the Manor. And for Lucius, that would be just as well, as he was becoming increasingly annoyed by his son's presence.

But tonight...tonight, Draco had been at his worst. Of all the nights he chose to be an insufferable little brat, he chose his father's wedding night.

Lucius grunted again, shook his head, and went on staring at the fire. As wedding nights went, this was by far, not one of the better ones. A week apart...and yet, the governors, Tobias among them, had agreed to Eliah attending the Quidditch match tomorrow. What was the purpose behind that decision? Why would they relax the laws of the Vow, in order for them to attend a Quidditch match together?

Lucius knew what they had said. He knew, too, what that irritating Icarius Ridgely had said, and was most likely still saying, about his bride. What could a young girl, such as herself, see in an old man? Was it his gold, his wealth? Obviously not, Lucius mused, since she had more then enough of her own, to not be bothered with his.

"My dear Madame Malfoy, you would consent to being bedded and bounded, to Lucius Malfoy? He is nearly thrity years older then you! How is it then, that you would desire a Wizard of such an advanced age?"

Lucius had mentioned all this to Tobias, but had made it seem as if it were not of any great importance. A Malfoy never allowed such non-sense to bother them.

But Lucius, despite being a Malfoy, had allowed it to bother him. All that Icarius had said, Lucius, himself, had thought...much to his annoyance.

"I suppose, you will bring her, to the match tomorrow..."

Lucius turned, glared coldly at his son, ans spoke for the first time since they had been sitting here.

"Yes, your stepmother will be attending the match with me."

Draco muttered.

"Why do you need to bring her?" he spit the words out in a vicious sort of way, "What does she care, if I am playing tomorrow?"

Lucius glared harder at him.

Insufferable little brat...

"She, is attending as my wife, and the mother of my son! And, Draco, you will mind your manners around her...or, you will have more to worry about, then losing to Ravenclaw!" Lucius hissed between clenched teeth.

Draco stared at his father for a moment. Shrugging his shoulders, he grinned at him.

"Yes, Father."

"Good, I do not wish for her to think, that her new son is a fool, before she has had a change to know him."

Draco groused a bit, but said nothing.

"So, play nice tomorrow..." Lucius sneered at him, "But if you cannot do that, at least, show them how a Malfoy conducts themselves."

"We are purebloods, of the nobliest family...yes, Father." Draco repeated slowly, allowing his father time to approve of this.

Which, of course, Lucius did.

He always approved of that...

He turned back to the fire, watched in for a moment, then turned to the box laying on the table next to him. He ran his fingers slowly over the lid, and smiled.

A small fortune was inside that box, but Lucius did not care. Draco, on the other hand, had whined and complained about it, and that, was simply because he did not recieve anything at all.

The boy always got what he wanted...always. But tonight, he did not. And that, did not sit well with him at all.

"It's for her..." he had growled at Lucius, "Why does she get something, and not me?"

"Because, Draco, she, Eliah, is my wife..."

"But I am your son!" Draco had nearly screamed at him.

And Lucius, having already reached a new level of annoyance at his son, had stared him down, almost as if being his son, was of no particular importance to him.

Lucius allowed his fingers to run along the catch that held the box shut. he smiled thoughtfully, and then picked it up.

He opened it carefully, to reveal what was nestled within the black silk...he smiled again, and turned the box to face Draco.

"Do you think, Eliah will like this?" he asked, though he was really not concerned by what his son thought, it was simply a topic of conversation.

Draco stared at it for a long time, then nodded.

"Of course she will...it's expensive."

Lucius tilted his head, smiled ruefully, and removed the gift from it's nest...he held it up to the firelight, and examined it.

It was indeed, a beautiful piece...it would pale in contrast to it's wearer, but it was still, quite beautiful.

Antique silver...the greeniest dark emeralds...Slytherin colours, he mused to himself...and a small coiled serpent dangled from it's centre...how appropriate...

His bride would look enchanting...as she always would, since she was a Malfoy now...

Yet another dark, cold and evil enchantress of the Malfoys...oh yes, she had been well worth the long wait, and now, having been told he could be with her tomorrow, he found himself on edge.

A place the Malfoys never got to...not if they could help it.

Lucius studied the choker, fixed in his mind how Eliah would look wearing it, and smiled evilly.

To Hades with Icarius Ridgely and his obvious jealousy...

He lay the choker back upon the black silk, and closed the lid carefully. He stood up and turned to look at Draco.

"I am retiring for the evening, and, I suggest you do the same."

Draco grumbled under his breath, but nodded.

"Yes, Father."

Lucius sneered coldly. He went to the door, and then turned back to look at his son...

Insufferable brat...

"And Draco..."

"Yes, Father?"

"Remember what I said, mind your manners towards your stepmother..."

Draco smirked.

"Yes, Father..."

"I do not want you worrying about punishment, when Slytherin wins the match...celebrations are never much fun, when marred by the threat of discipline later."

"Of course, Father." Draco bit back what he had intended on saying, but having thought better of it, he merely conceded to his father.

Lucius nodded in his direction, then turned and left the library.

Draco sat there for a moment. He sneered in exactly the same way his father did, and it amused him when others told him as much.

"Even for a Malfoy, Father, you have certainly out done yourself..." he muttered aloud to no one, the occupants of the paintings that surrounded him, appeared to be fast asleep. He jumped when a cold, very familiar voice, filled the room.

"Well Draco, what did you expect from my fool of a son? He has lost his head, not to mention, his heart, to a female...and a female of the Noble House of Knight at that."

Draco glared at the man in the painting.

"He has, Grandfather."

Abraxus Malfoy chuckled.

"But, I cannot think of a better female one can lose their head to, and their heart over..."

Draco muttered softly.

"Of course not, Grandfather..." his voice was stifled with a yawn.

Abraxus smiled at his grandson in a very friendly way.

"Now, I agree with my damnedable son...you should get to bed. You and I, as well as your father, will be speaking soon."

Draco nodded absently at him.

"Yes, Grandfather." he got up and went to the door.

"And Draco?"

How familiar that phrase was...first Lucius...now Abraxus...

Draco found it irritating, to say the least.

"Yes Grandfather?" Expecting the same paternal rhetoric.

Abraxus chuckled merrily.

"Have a good match tomorrow..."

Draco shook his head, smiled, and left the room.


	9. Madam Deoria

**A/N: No, still don't own them. Own everything else though. **

** _**

Naxxus sat watching the players zooming around in the air, and fought the urge to nod off.

Though an exciting match so far, Naxxus had slept very badly.

She yawned into her gloved hand.

She retreated into the inner part of her mind, searching for pieces of a dream, that had woke her early, and had left her feeling drained.

This clearly, would not do. Especially, not in present company. No, it would not do at all.

She heard a shrill whistle blast, looked up, and saw a small blonde haired boy in silver and green, Slytherin colours, streak by.

Naxxus knew a Malfoy when she saw them, even if they were high up, and they were streaking passed her on a broom.

Oh yes, she knew who the boy was, even before Tobias felt the need to tell her.

"Look at the boy! Simply splendid! He's Dra-"

"I know who he is, Tobias." Naxxus hissed.

Tobias shot her a curious look and simply nodded.

"Of course, Madame."

Naxxus turned to study him, but he had moved, and the man seated next to him, came into her full view.

She caught her breathe, struggled to maintain her rigid composure, and recovered quickly.

Lucius Malfoy sat watching the match, in a cold, bored sort of way. He looked as if he would have preferred to be somehwhere else, anywhere else, other then where he actually was. His black leather gloved hands were resting atop the silver snake headed walking stick, and the always present sneer, was fixed upon his pale face.

Pale, but handsome, in a vaguely evil and cold way. And the eyes, oh the eyes, they were steel grey pools of ice.

He tilted his head towards the young woman on his left side, his long silvery blonde hair brushed against her cheek, she did not move to push it away, and a slow smile spread acrossed the pale face.

He patted her small hand gently with his gloved one, and turned back to watch as his son was hit by a Bludger.

Any other father would have cringed at their son being hurt in some way, but Lucius Malfoy, far from being just any ordinary father, looked more embarassed by it, wanting only to say that the boy was not his.

A true Malfoy reaction, indeed.

Naxxus glanced at the silver ring on the woman's left hand. The Malfoy family crest, set atop black onyx, and surrounded by emeralds. Most assuredly, a priceless heirloom, that had never made it's appearance on any other hand, but that of this woman.

And, the way it looked, it had never been worn by Narcissa Black, at all.

The woman leaned forward a bit, and smiled at Naxxus, she sat back, and leaned in against Lucius. He patted her hand once more, and kissed her litely on the forehead.

She was officially, a Malfoy now, and as far as Naxxus could tell, she seemed to be very pleased by this. As if, she thought coldly, being married to a Malfoy, and that one, being Lucius, was anything to be pleased about.

Naxxus shook her head, mumbled, and turned back to watch the remainder of the match.

She heard Tobias speaking to Malfoy, but paid it little attention.

That is, until she heard her own name upon the lips of Lucius Malfoy.

He was inquiring about when Naxxus Deoria would arrive at the Manor, and if and when he arrived, would Tobias be coming with him.

Naxxus coughed slightly, but said nothing.

Tobias glanced briefly at her, and turned to look at Lucius.

"Why, I don't believe I have had the pleasure of introducing my lovely companion, have I, Lucius?"

Malfoy turned a bit, narrowed his eyes at her, and looked away again. When he finally chose to speak, all turned to look at him...

...including, Naxxus.

"No Tobias, you have not." he replied coolly.

Tobias chuckled.

"Well, with this match being so exciting, I nearly forgot!" he pulled Naxxus into view, "Ah yes then, it is my pleasure to introduce you to Madame Deoria."

Malfoy grunted softly at this.

"I see, he sends his wife in his absence then?"

Naxxus all but laughed aloud at this.

Tobias eyes Lucius merrily.

"Merlin's beard!" he laughed

Lucius, however, did not find it at all amusing. The stony expression held this to be very evident, and the sneer appeared with lightning speed.

"What, is so amusing, Tobias?"

"My dear Lucius! She is not his wife, in fact, there is not a wife to speak of!"

Eliah giggled softly at her husband's side. He glared slightly at her.

"Hush." he commanded.

Eliah fell silent at the cold command, but the amusement was written all over her face.

Naxxus grinned.

"I am Naxxus Deoria, Mr. Malfoy."

Lucius turned, looked around Tobias, and stared at her.

It was an evil stare.

And, years later, she would still recall that very same stare, those very same steel grey eyes, staring into hers...eyes that would plead for mercy, and knowing that it would not come.

Naxxus shivered as the thought passed into nothingness.

How could she know that? How could she know, that he would beg and plead for his life, and for those of his wife and son...the lives she would hold in her hands many years from now?

How could she know?

She shook her head to rid the thoughts from her mind. She could feel him staring at her, and resisted the urge to tell him where to get off.

She mused on this for a moment longer, and when she turned to look at him finally, it was as if the whole world swayed and pitched around her. She stared into his eyes, and saw the future there...but, it was not a future she wanted to see.

She looked from him to Eliah, who sat close to him, pointing out his son, and commenting on the match. And, almost at once, the world pitched yet again, and she saw what she did not wish to see...

...Deorum...

And held within those weeping walls of blood, was the one who sat staring at her, with his cold, piercing grey eyes.

She shivered restlessly.

Azkaban could not, and did not break, this vile man...

But in that hideous future that she saw in the eyes of Lucius Malfoy, and that surrounded Eliah Malfoy, was that very thing that Azkaban could not do..

In Deorum...

...Lucius Malfoy would die...

Naxxus knew that when that came to pass, the Dark Vow would be completely fulfilled...

Lucius would not go alone...

...bound for eternity...husband and wife...

Eliah, would die, as well...

Naxxus promptly fainted.


	10. Naxxus and Snape

**A/N: Same drill! So Naxxus has a thing for Snape? Well she says not…but…read on!**

Naxxus woke to find Severus Snape staring down at her. His long greasy black hair, was hanging around his face, and his nose, inches from hers.

"What..?" she groaned, trying to sit up.

"Lie down." he growled.

She looked at him, decided against saying what she wanted to, and did as he said.

"Such a dramatic exit, Madame," he snarled, "Do you always leave in such a manner, or are there others, that you have left for a later time?"

Naxxus glared up at him.

Snape simply smiled in his usual angry, and bitter fashion.

"No? I thought not."

When she said nothing to this, Snape moved away, but then deciding he had more to say, sat back down again.

"Madame Deoria is it?"

Naxxus nodded.

"Yes, I know of you, and your notorius family," he snickered, "Necromancers the whole lot of you, and builders of the equally notorius, and thoroughly gruesome, American Wizard Prison, Deorum."

Naxxus said nothing.

"I also know, Madame, that Eliah Malfoy inhabited a cell in Deorum, as did.." he moved a bit closer and snarled again, "..you."

Naxxus glared hotly.

"And?"

Snape sneered coldly at her.

"And, what I do not know is, why, the two of you were there. I am sure also, that Lucius would love to know what put his lovely bride, behind prison walls."

Naxxus was furious now.

"I do not care what you want, Professor Snape, and I certainly do not care what Lucius Malfoy wants!"

"But why, has Madame Malfoy, not told her husband? It is my understanding, that wives usually tell their husbands everything, or is that not the case here?"

She stared at him.

"Amazing, what one will hide, when it could be one's undoing."

Naxxus sat up, and borught her face inches from his, and snarled at him.

"It is also amazing, Professor, what one will believe, when it falls from the wicked tongue of a beautiful, yet deadly, snake."

She knew he understood the implications of the statement, yet Snape did not appear to be offended by this. Rather, he seemed vaguely amused.

Naxxus rose from the bed slowly, allowing her head to stop spinning, and lurched across the room. She had her hand nearly to the doorknob, when she heard an all too familiar word...

"Accio wand!" Snape bellowed from behind her, his wand pointed directly at her.

Nothing happened. No wand appeared in his other hand, and the look upon his shallow face, was of anger and confusion.

Naxxus laughed softly.

Snape glared back her, his black hair hanging over his eyes.

"Accio wand!" he said again with more determination.

Still, nothing happened, and again, no wand appeared to him.

Naxxus laughed again.

"What did you really expect to happen, Professor Snape?"

He glared harder at her.

"You must have left it back at the match..." he mumbled coldly.

"Left what there?"

"Your wand, you nasty little fool!"

Naxxus ignored the rude comment, but laughed once more.

"Wand? Oh yes, I see...I do not have one."

Snape stared at her in utter rage.

"You don't have a wand? Every witch or wizard carries a wand." he stated this clearly, as if he were teaching a lesson to a very bullish child.

"No Professor, I do not have a wand, never have, and never will. I do not need such a prop, to do magick," she could sense the fascination it elicited in Snape, and added after a moment, "Eliah, Madame Malfoy, has no need of one, either."

Snape looked momentarily shocked, recovered from it, and did not speak.

Naxxus grinned.

"Unlike her dubious husband, Lucius..." she threw in for added shock value.

Snape sneered at this.

"Pray tell me then, Madame Deoria, how you do magick, if you have no need of a wand?"

Naxxus smiled. Despite herself, she was beginning to like Snape. In fact, she smiled a more bitter smile, we could be friends, if he wasn't a vindictive little prat.

She chuckled to herself, then looked at Snape, who was still eyeing her with mild curiousity.

"Will and Intent, Professor...if neither are present, then magick, does not exist. Manipulating the forces within you and those that surround you. Surely, you, Professor Snape, know all about such matters?"

He nodded quickly.

"Being able to mumble and blather on with flowing words that rhyme, and pointing a stick at something, does not mean anything. Pretty and all that, but merely a dramatic bit of play, don't you think?"

Snape looked as if he wanted to argue this, but chose instead, to merely nod.

Naxxus smiled at him slowly.

"Professor, you could learn alot from me...and, I think, despite our first impressions of each other, that I could learn quite a bit from you."

Snape smirked.

"What could I possibly learn from you, Madame Deoria?"

She laughed.

"First, you need to learn, that my name is Naxxus, not Madame Deoria. I despise that name, makes me feel old and loopy...second..." she pointed to the wand in his hand, "how not to be so depended upon such childish props."

Snape sneered a bit at this.

"And what, could you learn from me, Naxxus?"

She smiled in a slow, cold way. Her eyes a shade darker then they usually were, it was something many had learned to avoid seeing.

"Well, you are renowned for your potions, and , your poisons are you not?"

Snape nodded.

"Yes, of course I am."

She smiled even more at this.

It was a cold and cruel kind of smile.

"I want you, Professor Snape, to teach me everything you know about the deadliest poisons you know of...teach me how to use them properly and their uses, of course..."

Snape gaped at her. A little voice inside him nudged at him.

~Ah yes, Snape, you may have found the one...try not to muck this up, will you?~

He shook his head quickly.

Then, a smile crept acrossed his shallow face. This was the closiest Snape ever got to happy.

Naxxus watched him.

"Well Professor Snape, do you agree to it?"

He stared at her.

"First, before I agree to anything, what exactly do you need to know about poisons?"

Naxxus' laugh filled the room completely. Snape cringed a bit at it, but he was not one to let this bother him.

"Everything, Professor."

"Yes, but why do you need to know about them?" he eyed her curiously.

Naxxus chuckled icily.

"Wouldn't you like to know?"


	11. Death Ahead

**A/N: No, still don't own them. Own everything else though. **

** _**

Naxxus sat watching the players zooming around in the air, and fought the urge to nod off.

Though an exciting match so far, Naxxus had slept very badly.

She yawned into her gloved hand.

She retreated into the inner part of her mind, searching for pieces of a dream, that had woke her early, and had left her feeling drained.

This clearly, would not do. Especially, not in present company. No, it would not do at all.

She heard a shrill whistle blast, looked up, and saw a small blonde haired boy in silver and green, Slytherin colours, streak by.

Naxxus knew a Malfoy when she saw them, even if they were high up, and they were streaking passed her on a broom.

Oh yes, she knew who the boy was, even before Tobias felt the need to tell her.

"Look at the boy! Simply splendid! He's Dra-"

"I know who he is, Tobias." Naxxus hissed.

Tobias shot her a curious look and simply nodded.

"Of course, Madame."

Naxxus turned to study him, but he had moved, and the man seated next to him, came into her full view.

She caught her breathe, struggled to maintain her rigid composure, and recovered quickly.

Lucius Malfoy sat watching the match, in a cold, bored sort of way. He looked as if he would have preferred to be somehwhere else, anywhere else, other then where he actually was. His black leather gloved hands were resting atop the silver snake headed walking stick, and the always present sneer, was fixed upon his pale face.

Pale, but handsome, in a vaguely evil and cold way. And the eyes, oh the eyes, they were steel grey pools of ice.

He tilted his head towards the young woman on his left side, his long silvery blonde hair brushed against her cheek, she did not move to push it away, and a slow smile spread acrossed the pale face.

He patted her small hand gently with his gloved one, and turned back to watch as his son was hit by a Bludger.

Any other father would have cringed at their son being hurt in some way, but Lucius Malfoy, far from being just any ordinary father, looked more embarassed by it, wanting only to say that the boy was not his.

A true Malfoy reaction, indeed.

Naxxus glanced at the silver ring on the woman's left hand. The Malfoy family crest, set atop black onyx, and surrounded by emeralds. Most assuredly, a priceless heirloom, that had never made it's appearance on any other hand, but that of this woman.

And, the way it looked, it had never been worn by Narcissa Black, at all.

The woman leaned forward a bit, and smiled at Naxxus, she sat back, and leaned in against Lucius. He patted her hand once more, and kissed her litely on the forehead.

She was officially, a Malfoy now, and as far as Naxxus could tell, she seemed to be very pleased by this. As if, she thought coldly, being married to a Malfoy, and that one, being Lucius, was anything to be pleased about.

Naxxus shook her head, mumbled, and turned back to watch the remainder of the match.

She heard Tobias speaking to Malfoy, but paid it little attention.

That is, until she heard her own name upon the lips of Lucius Malfoy.

He was inquiring about when Naxxus Deoria would arrive at the Manor, and if and when he arrived, would Tobias be coming with him.

Naxxus coughed slightly, but said nothing.

Tobias glanced briefly at her, and turned to look at Lucius.

"Why, I don't believe I have had the pleasure of introducing my lovely companion, have I, Lucius?"

Malfoy turned a bit, narrowed his eyes at her, and looked away again. When he finally chose to speak, all turned to look at him...

...including, Naxxus.

"No Tobias, you have not." he replied coolly.

Tobias chuckled.

"Well, with this match being so exciting, I nearly forgot!" he pulled Naxxus into view, "Ah yes then, it is my pleasure to introduce you to Madame Deoria."

Malfoy grunted softly at this.

"I see, he sends his wife in his absence then?"

Naxxus all but laughed aloud at this.

Tobias eyes Lucius merrily.

"Merlin's beard!" he laughed

Lucius, however, did not find it at all amusing. The stony expression held this to be very evident, and the sneer appeared with lightning speed.

"What, is so amusing, Tobias?"

"My dear Lucius! She is not his wife, in fact, there is not a wife to speak of!"

Eliah giggled softly at her husband's side. He glared slightly at her.

"Hush." he commanded.

Eliah fell silent at the cold command, but the amusement was written all over her face.

Naxxus grinned.

"I am Naxxus Deoria, Mr. Malfoy."

Lucius turned, looked around Tobias, and stared at her.

It was an evil stare.

And, years later, she would still recall that very same stare, those very same steel grey eyes, staring into hers...eyes that would plead for mercy, and knowing that it would not come.

Naxxus shivered as the thought passed into nothingness.

How could she know that? How could she know, that he would beg and plead for his life, and for those of his wife and son...the lives she would hold in her hands many years from now?

How could she know?

She shook her head to rid the thoughts from her mind. She could feel him staring at her, and resisted the urge to tell him where to get off.

She mused on this for a moment longer, and when she turned to look at him finally, it was as if the whole world swayed and pitched around her. She stared into his eyes, and saw the future there...but, it was not a future she wanted to see.

She looked from him to Eliah, who sat close to him, pointing out his son, and commenting on the match. And, almost at once, the world pitched yet again, and she saw what she did not wish to see...

...Deorum...

And held within those weeping walls of blood, was the one who sat staring at her, with his cold, piercing grey eyes.

She shivered restlessly.

Azkaban could not, and did not break, this vile man...

But in that hideous future that she saw in the eyes of Lucius Malfoy, and that surrounded Eliah Malfoy, was that very thing that Azkaban could not do..

In Deorum...

...Lucius Malfoy would die...

Naxxus knew that when that came to pass, the Dark Vow would be completely fulfilled...

Lucius would not go alone...

...bound for eternity...husband and wife...

Eliah, would die, as well...

Naxxus promptly fainted.


	12. Merely a Dream?

**A/N: And as always…nope, still don't own anything from HP. That all belongs to the brilliant J.K. Rowling. However, I DO own what's left over. Who says so? Jason said so. (:**

**-**

The firelight caste flickering shadows over the room...

Yet, the shadow that stood beside the massive bed, neither flickered nor waivered with the light.

It was merely there.

A spectral like hand went to the pale as death face, allowed it's fingers to stroke one cheek, and then it fell back again.

This was no ordinary shadow.

This one was a living, breathing woman, and she watched the sleeping man silently.

One of many things Eliah could do, and one of her most enjoyable. And tonight, she was enjoying using this bit of magick...oh yes...

She studied the face for a moment. Chiseled features. Pale, soft flesh. Evil, yet handsome, even in sleep.

Eliah put out her hand again, her fingers running ever so slowly over the skin. She felt him flinch, stopped, and waited for him settle once more. When she was satisfied that he would not wake, she allowed her fingers to stray to his mouth.

Eliah hesitated.

She moved a bit closer to the bed, and bending down, she brushed her lips over his...silky and soft...

He moaned deeply in sleep.

She smiled at this. He would think it nothing more then a dream. If they meant to keep them apart, she would use whatever means she possessed, to show him what she was made of.

And that, no matter what they did to keep them away from each other, they would never be able to accuse her, or even him, of being nothing but pure and chaste.

Eliah smiled happily at this thought.

She looked more closely at him. She brought her hand up to the centre of his forehead, and felt for the Inner Eye.

Her smile faltered a bit.

She felt nothing, but that could be expected with him. He kept everything about him a closely guarded secret, and that would mean, that his sixth sense was closely guarded, as well.

Allowing her fingers to travel away from his forehead, and onward to where his hairline started. She felt the softness of the long blonde hair, and resisted the urge to run her fingers through it completely. That would be too much.

As she did this, he moaned again, and shifted his body slightly. She drew back and simply watched him for a long time.

Only a dream, Lucius...

He moaned deeply.

Eliah drew back further from the bed. It would not do, if he woke to find her in his bedroom watching him as he slept. He most certainly, would want an explanation from her.

Just a dream, Lucius...

He moaned again, his brow was furrowed...he clutched at the dark green silk sheets, twisting them in his hands...

Dream Lucius...

She watched him silently. Perhaps, she thought with a dull ache, this had not been such a good idea, but then again, nothing ever really was a good idea, until one did something about it. And this? She did not know for certain now...

...he was so beautiful...

Dream, Lucius...only a dream...

...as he had always been...

Only a dream...she is not really here...just a dream, Lucius...

She stared longingly at him...the ache working it's way through her body...strangling her like a coiled snake...

Just a dream...but soon, oh yes, very soon, it will be very, very real, Lucius..

She watched as his hands gripped the sheets tighter...a vision flickered across her mind's eye...and a delicious tingling spread through her body...

...soon...very soon...

A deep, gutteral moan escaped his lips, and he sucked in a shuttering breath...his hands still clutching the sheets tightly, his body rigid...

Not a dream, Lucius...

His lips parted, another shuttering intake of air, and then she heard it...

...she knew she had...

"Eliah, please..."

It startled her, unsettled her every nerve, and left her staring transfixed at him...unable to move...

When she could move again, she crept to the side of the bed, reached her hand out, and felt the coolness of his skin. He was flushed, and his brow glistened with a fine misting of sweat.

...so very beautiful...

Eliah sighed tiredly. Time was growing short now...she would soon fade to nothingness, and return to her body.

She stared down at Lucius. How she wanted this to have lasted, but knowing it couldn't, she felt somehow, that she would never forget it. Never forget what she had just witnessed.

Eliah took one last look at her husband, bent down, and brushed her lips against his. He did not wake.

"Eliah..." he whimpered softly, raising a pale hand to his lips.

She smiled faintly at him.

Only a dream, my beloved Lucius...only a dream..."

She faded away as silently as she had come.

The firelight flickered over the room, casting shadows in it's wake.

Lucius opened his eyes and smiled slowly.

"Not a dream, my love..."

He smiled again and drifted back into sleep.


	13. Lost Souls Tavern and Inn

**A/N: You know the drill. And yes, Jason said so! (:**

**-**

She looked at the sign thoughtfully for a brief moment, then pushed the door open, and entered into the shadowy depths.

Lost Souls...

It had gone deathly quiet when she entered, all eyes turning to look at her. Not one of them moved, nor did they utter a sound.

Lost Souls...

Eliah stared around her, taking in the tavern and it's occupants, noting how frightened they looked at her presence.

Why?

She grinned faintly.

Of course, they would have known her to be a Malfoy, but they did not look at her in the fear that the name held. No, they were looking at her in an entirely different way.

"M'lady?"

She turned to see a grizzled old man standing at her elbow.

"Yes?"

He bowed quickly.

"His Lordship is waiting for you." he motioned to a black door behind the low bar, "He has been waiting for some time."

Eliah nodded.

The old man led her to the door, and opening it, he smiled a toothless smile.

"His Lordship seems angry."

Eliah turned and looked at the man. Her eyes narrowed slightly.

"Never speak of him in such a manner, again! What his Lordship is, or is not, is none of your concern."

She turned away and stalked into the room, leaving the old man to mutter and hiss behind her.

Eliah stood in the doorway, taking in the room and it's contents. Nothing surprised her about it. It was, after all, a tavern and an inn...

He turned slowly and smiled at her, his eyes penetrating her very being.

She smiled coldly at him.

"You do realise, M'Lord, that if any of the Governors, or even a scribe from the Council of Witches, finds that we are here, together, there will need to be answers?"

He nodded.

"Of course, but..."

She held up a small, pale hand for silence.

"There is still, only a few hours, before the Vow is to be performed. Do you really wish to jeapordise that, for but one clandestine meeting?"

He grinned slowly, but remained silent.

"Your Lordship really should think of the repercutions of his actions." she stated.

His lips curled up into a cold, cruel sneer, as he looked at her.

"Ah yes, that is all very true, " his eyes roamed over her, "However, they will not find us here, nor will they find that anyone has been here. Not in a very, very long time."

Eliah smiled and nodded at him.

"And, if they do?"

He laughed.

"They will not, my dear. You worry too much, over so little."

She nodded again.

"Yes, M'Lord."

"Why so formal? I am your husband, there is no need for it."

She stared at him silently.

"And," he moved closer, "After what you have done recently, I do not think you have a right to claim such unflattering innocence."

Eliah said nothing, though she continued to stare at him, willing herself to remain aloof.

"Why did you not tell me, Eliah?"

"Tell you...?" she stumbled over her own words.

Lucius laughed harshly.

"And why, did Tobias keep it from me? My old friend has been keeping secrets from me again...still the same secretive old man he has always been."

She grinned.

"Perhaps, he had his reasons for doing so?"

Lucius smirked.

"Clearly, you both seem to think I would be better off not knowing, though I think, you might find me more accepting of you, if you spoke the truth"

Eliah's expression was stony and cold as she looked at him.

"And what, my dear husband, do you know about truth?"

Lucius' smirk froze upon his face. He glared cruelly at his wife.

"I know that it is best left unsaid at times. But, my dear, now is not one of them."

Eliah smiled slowly.

"What is it you wish to know?"

He moved a bit closer to her. In his left hand, the ever present walking stick...when he was close enough, he raised it to her cheek, and ran the snake's head along her skin.

She shivered.

It came to rest under her chin. He tilted her head up with it, and looked into her eyes.

"Start with what you are, my dear..."

Eliah tried to look away, but his gaze held her fast.

"And do not lie to me."

Her mouth suddenly went dry, and no words would come to her. Lucius obviously knew something. He wanted her to tell him, and he would play with her until she did.

"I..." she stammered, her mouth drier then ever.

"Cat got your tongue, my dear?"

Her mouth came open, and once again, she could not speak.

Lucius tilted her head up a bit more and studied her face.

"I told you once, I could kill you...and now, here we are..."

Eliah stared blankly at her husband.

"I..Lucius..."

He laughed coldly.

"Ah, not a good enough answer. Try again."

Again, she found herself at a loss for words...what was he doing to her? He couldn't have this much power over her? She was a...

She threw the veil over her thoughts quickly, concealing them from him...

But, he had seen them, and he knew...oh he knew...

"The first to ever hold this title...in what...?" he looked at her for a moment, "Oh yes, in about three hundred years..."

Eliah's face held no expression at this.

He continued quickly.

"In fact, you are the only female to ever hold it. Fascinating really, and yet, you thought to hide this from me...from your husband..."

Eliah glared at Lucius. How dare he act as if he were more important!

But, the little voice inside her countered, he is more important. You should have told him...before now.

She found her voice finally.

"You know?" she hissed.

He smiled slightly, and tilted his head towards her, so that the long, blonde hair fell forward.

"You, my beloved wife, are a Magus. A member of the Illuminati...darkiest of the Dark Witches...possibly the most vile and evil there is..."

Eliah smiled coldly.

"Yes, Lucius...I am more powerful then even, dare I say it? Voldemort..."

Lucius shuddered at the mention of the name.

"Never say you are more powerful then the Dark Lord!" he growled at her, "That could earn you a death sentence..."

Eliah laughed.

"Oh no, I highly doubt that, Lucius...I am a Magus, which puts me above, even the Dark Lord. Or, " she laughed again, "The much deceased Dark Lord."

Lucius glared at her.

"There is a new Dark Lord...I stand before him now..." she smiled.

He said nothing.

"And," Eliah sneered at him, "In a few short hours, he will take me to his bed...and the Vow will be complete."

The expression on his face changed from coldness, to a slight warmth. He seemed flustered by this, but did not allow himself to be had in this way. He was a Malfoy, and being flustered by anyone, was not part of the game.

He reached out a black, leather gloved hand, and catching her chin with it, he pulled her close to him. He allowed his lips to trail along her cheek, and to her ear, and whispered softly.

"Magus or not...wife or not...I can kill you easily...very easily..."

His voice died away.

She shuddered and cringed at this.

"Lucius..." she whimpered, as his hand snaked around to the back of her neck. He entwined his fingers in her long, black hair, and yanked head back.

He brushed his lips against her ear. She could feel his warm breathe as he spoke...her body pressed into his, his hand in her hair...his icy grey eyes penetrating her very soul...the delicious tingling thrill he sent through her...

Lost Souls...

"I could kill you, my love..."

Lost...

She whimpered as he tightened his grip in her hair.

"Lucius, please.."

He sneered at her, and then pulling her closer, crushing her body to his, he whispered coldly.

"Never...lie...to...me...again."

She cringed at the severity of his voice, and as his mouth sought and found hers, their lips bearly touching, he growled as he kissed her feverishly...

"Or, I will kill you."


End file.
